The life and times of a domesticated diva who looks around occasionally thinking, "This was not the plan!" and then admits to herself that she wouldn't trade the madness and messes of her family for anything.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Today is my youngest's 3rd birthday and I'm remembering that labor with him was the fastest and the most brutal and realizing that the words "fast" and "brutal" pretty much sum him up. Is that weird?

I asked Jesse to re-explain blu-ray for the umpteenth time last night and he finally got through to me when he said, "They're like dvd's on steroids. But good steroids, not some crappy nutritional supplement from GNC." and I said, "Like the steroids that make penises small?" and he said, "Yeah." So now I understand: Blu-ray discs are dvd's with small penises.

My daughter's cat, Snowbelle, killed the Christmas tree. We've had the same fake tree since Winter was a baby and now her damn furball has knocked it over and snapped the base of it and so next year we'll have to replace it. On the bright side, none of the ornaments broke and the tree will be taken down and put (thrown) away before the 1st this year.

I began re-reading what I wrote for Nano in November, getting ready to finish the first draft in January and I HATE IT. So much stupid crap to fix, like describing what my gamer husband would call an NPC (non-player-character) as "graying at the temples" in one paragraph and then reading that he's a buff, civic-minded teen 2 minutes later. Suck.

Walky is enjoying his first present of the day: a Backyardigans Fairytale dvd and I have to say that the Backyardigans are awesome, if only because they expose kids to every musical genre imaginable.

I've been planning a review post of several products (and shows and books) that I've come across lately( like Dawn Direct Foam dish soap and the Syfy channel's Alice and Brita water pitchers.) Maybe I'll eventually get on that.

Wintertime in MN has gotten to me early this year: it's usually February before I start buying new houseplants in desperation to get me through the last hard month of cold here. I have truly run out of window space, now and so I hope that this winter will end as it began: short and mild.

I've been sitting here, with my middle kid sitting within the circle of my legs while I stared at the screen trying to decide whether or not I've got any more random to share and now he just got up and Katie just jumped up to take his place, turning once before curling into a circle and collapsing against me with a contented doggy sigh that sounded suspiciously like, "Finally!" I think that's my cue. I should go, now.

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Friday, December 25, 2009

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

I can't believe that my baby boy is 6! He'd been pestering us to go to his favorite "restaurant" Old Country Buffet for weeks (his favorite because he is possibly the pickiest child on the planet, and at OCB he can eat pizza and fries to his heart's content *sigh*) and so for two weeks after picking him up from school I had to chant, "On your birthday, on your birthday" all the way home. The night before his birthday I snuck into his room and turned it into a maze of crepe-paper streamers and balloons. I started doing that when Winter was little and now the kids know that their birthday celebrations start the moment that they open their eyes. Westie wanted pancakes for his birthday breakfast, and so we all ate pancakes and watched him open a present at the breakfast table: the book I Spy A Dinosaur's Eye. He was thrilled that it was something that he could take to school in his backpack. Books are allowed, toys are not! He brought a big bag of treats for his schoolmates to ease the pain of having to spend his birthday at school-lol!

When he got home, he opened the two small presents from his siblings: a red Bakugan from Walker and a small shiny purple snake filled with sand instead of stuffing that his sister picked out and bought herself. She told him that it was just like his favorite stuffie (a huge, purple, stuffed snake) and that the new toy could be it's baby. He said, "No, it's the little brother!" I thought that was fitting.

At 5:15 we all clambered into the van to pick Daddy up from work. We headed to OCB equipped with a bag full of presents and a candle and lighter for whatever dessert he chose. We ate dinner and watched West's smile and the way that his hat hair fell across his forehead as he talked, animatedly using his hands for emphasis. We said our bests and worsts. Winter didn't have any worst, telling us that it was a triple-good day because it was West's birthday and she got to swim in gym class and the new Harry Potter film came out on DVD. West's best: "It's my birthday!" His worst: "I had to go to school on my birthday." Winter offered to take West for his dessert. He came back with a swirly ice cream cone, falling from it's cone onto his hand. I thought, "Seriously? There are a dozen perfectly good cupcakes over there that would hold this damn candle! Oh well..." I stuck the number 6 candle into the top of the cone and tried to light it. I burned myself. I yipped and shook my hand, making everyone laugh. I tried twice more (and burned myself twice more!) I finally got it lit and West blew it out immediately and laughed his head off, proud of his joke. I shook my head and said, "Forget it! Sing!"

We sang "Happy Birthday" and let him tear into the rest of his presents: a Play-Doh Burger Builder, Splashy the Whale, a small animatronic triceratops and another book, this one about Transformers. We carried the loot home and I let him stay up later than usual so that he could play play-doh with his brother and cheat at his new game (he doesn't like being sprayed with water and so turns the whale to face Walker during his turn-lol!) before tucking a very tired birthday boy into bed! Here are a few highlights!

Tomorrow: Westie's Birthday party with friends and family on the 12th!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

In our family (well, my family on my mother's side) we've always celebrated today as the Feast of Saint Nick. In honor of the predecessor to Santa Claus, our children put out their stockings on the night of the 5th, and dig their goodies out of them on the 6th. Some, more religious families, take this day to honor the saint through prayer and teaching, but for us it's always been a day of fun, a beloved family tradition and an excuse to parade new Christmas themed pencils, socks and hair-ties before our non-St. Nick-celebrating schoolmates. Getting to eat chocolate for breakfast was pretty great, too. The 6th marks the true beginning of our family's holiday season. This year, the Feast of St. Nicholas falls on a weekend, which leaves the whole day for my kids and their cousins to happily lug their loot around (instead of having to wistfully set them aside in order to don boots and backpacks.) I am thoroughly enjoying their enjoyment and remembering my mom and all of the little ways that she made me feel special. Today I wish for everyone, regardless of their faith or creed, love and joy and the evidence of abundant generosity in their lives. Happy Holidays!